Match sticks



(No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. F.,EISENHART. MAGHINE FOR BUNGHING MATCH STICKS.

No. 515,201. I Patented Feb. 20, 1894.

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(No Moder. 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' D. F. EISENHART.

MACHINE FQRBUNUHING MATCH STIUKS. N 515,201, Patented-Feb, 20, 1894.

mike/11a (No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 3. D. P. EISENHART.

MACHINE FOR BUNUHING MATCH STICKS. No. 515,201. Patented Feb. 20, 1894.

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Un t-Tan STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

DAVID E. EISENHART, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR BUNCHING MATCH-STICKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,201, dated February20, 1894.

Application filed April 29, 1893. Serial N0. 472.321. (No model.)

tion.

This invention relates to that class of match bnnching machines by whichthe match sticks are distributed at uniform intervals between coiledbands or tapes to form a bundle or bunch preparatory to dipping orheading the sticks.

The principal objects of my invention are toimproveandsimplifytheagitating mechanism that efiects a parallelism ofthe loose sticks in the feed hopper so that they will be properlypresented to the fluted feed drum; to provide an improved and positivelyactuated transfer mechanism for taking the sticks from the feed drumunfailingly at the proper point and conveying them in regular order tothe bunching spool; and to provide an improved 'automatically actuatedmechanism for stopping theagitation of the loose sticks in the hopperand the feeding of the same therefrom when a bunch or bundle of matchsticks is nearly completed in readiness for dipping.

The invention consists in the features of construction and novelcombinations of parts in a match bunching machine as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the annexed drawingsFigure 1, is a partly sectional side elevation ofa match bunching machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2, is a plan ofthe same. Fig. 3, is an enlarged partly sectional side elevation of thepositively actuated transfer mechanism. Fig. 4, is an enlargedtransverse section of the feed hopper, showing the agitating mechanismand operating devices. Fig. 5, is a View of a tension device. Fig. 6, isa detail plan of the mechanismfor automatically stopping the action ofthe agitating devices and interrupting the feed of the match splints orsticks.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the frame of themachine, having at one end a hopper 2 that is attached to brackets 3secured to two of the parallel longitudinal frame bars. These brackets 3are provided with vertical arms 4 that are ex tended into the hopper andin contact with its oppositesides.

In the inner face of each bracket arm 4 is a vertical guide groove 5, toreceive one of the side bars of a vertically movable frame 6 havingcross rods 7 and 8 at top and bottom respectively. The upper cross rod 7has pivoted thereto a pair of rearward extended agitating fingers 9which may project through slots 10 in the back of the hopper. tionarytransverse rod 11 may be arranged in the rear portion of the hopper toassist in supporting the agitating fingers 9 which move across said rodwhile being operated.

In the vertically sliding frame 6 are mounted two rollers 12, one abovethe other. The

frame 6 is reciprocated in a vertical direction through a pitman 13 thatconnects the cross rod 8 with a crank 14 on a rotary shaft 15 mountedbelow the hopper. The fronts of the vertical bracket arms 4: areprovided at intervals with swells 16 that project substantially in linewith the perimeters of the agitating rollers 12 which pass in line withsaid swells or-curved projections as the frame 6 is reciprocated.Between the swells or pro jections 16 the fronts of the arms 4 are cutaway or recessed at 17 and at their lower ends the said bracket arms 4are curved forward toward a fluted feed drum 18 that projects into thefront lower portion of the feed hopper. The width of the feed hopper 2is about equal to the length of the match splints or sticks that areplaced therein upon the rearward projecting agitator fingers 9 and infront of the bracket arms 4 where they rest upon the inclined or curvedlower front ends of said arms and against the fluted feed drum. Throughthe reciprocations of the vertically sliding frame 6, actuated from therotary shaft 15, the agitator fingers 9, which are guided in the slots10, receive a vibratory movement that causes the match sticks lyingthereon to be aligned or brought into parallelism and gradually workedforward and downward in front of the agitator frame. The rollers 12reciprocating with the frame 6 bear against those match sticks orsplints that settle between the swells 16 and gradually force the bodyof aligned sticks toward the feed drum.

In the front of the feedhopper 2, above the A sta-.

and receive the ends of the match sticks.

fluted feed drum 18 are placed clearing rolls 19 that are mounted on arotary shaft 20 journaled in vertically adjustable boxes 21 supported inguides 22 and each provided with an adjusting screw 23 by which theclearing rolls can be adjusted to bring them into suitable proximity tothe periphery of the fluted feed drum. The clearing rolls 19 are spacedapart on their shaft 20; and inside the hopper 2 are placed verticalguards or guide bars 24, one at the outside of each clearing roll andone between said rolls. The bars 24 serve to preventthe match splintsfrom passing up over the clearing rolls and may be rounded or beveled attheir lower ends to assist in guiding the sticks to the feed drum. Byadjusting the clearing rolls downward in proper proximity to theperiphery of the fluted feed drum the match sticks taken up by thegrooves 25 of said drum are pressed down into uniform engagement withsaid grooves and superfluous splints are held back so that each grooveof the feed drum will carry out from the hopper only one stick. Thegrooves 25 of the feed drum 18 extend the entire width of said drumwhich is somewhat less than the length of the match sticks so that theirends will project on both sides and these grooves are located at suchintervals that the match sticks when bunched and separated byintervening coils of webbing will be so far apart that their ends can beproperly headed or supplied with igniting substance without liability ofbecoming stuck together. The fluted feed drum 18 is carried by a rotaryshaft 26 extended across the frame of the machine and mounted insuitable bearings thereon.

In front of and partly at the opposite ends of the fluted feed drum 18is a transfer mechanism comprising endless belts or chains 27, flangedgear wheels 28 and 29 for actuating said belts or chains with a positiveand uniform movement, a transfer roll 30 adjacent to the bunching spool31 and tension rolls 32 intermediate said transfer roll and the feeddrum. The gear wheels 28 are mounted at the ends of the feed drum 18, infront of its shaft 26, on studs 33 supported in bearings 34 above themachine frame. The gear wheels 29 and transfer roll 30 are secured to arotary shaft 35 mounted in bearings 36 and the tension rolls 32 arespaced apart on a rotary shaft 37 mounted in standards 38 projectingabove the frame of the machine.

It sometimes happens that the match sticks or splints become wedged inthe grooves of the fluted feed drum and are not readily disengagedtherefrom at the proper time. This difficulty is obviated by theconstruction and arrangement of the transfer belts or chains 27 as shownin Fig. 3. The endless transfer belts or chains 27 may be composed ofany flexible material, such for instance as rubber, corrugated orgrooved transversely to engage n the construction of these transferdevices I prefer, however, the employment of pivotally connected links39 each of which is provided on one edge with two teeth or projections40 between which the end of a match stick is to be received and on theother edge with asingletooth or projection 41 to work in the recesses 42of the gear wheels 28 and 29 by Which said chains are actuated with apositive and uniform movement. The, recesses 42 in the chain carryingwheels 28 and 29 are each, preferably, of sufficient length to receivethe teeth 41 of two adjacent links and permit a ready engagement anddisengagement of the chains as theyare rotated by said wheels. Each gearwheel 28 is set close to one end of the feed drum 18, near the peripherythereof, and the gear wheels 29 are set close to the ends of thetransfer roll 30, while on their outer sides all these gear wheels areprovided with flanges 43 which aid to keep the transfer chains inposition. It will be observed that the transfer chains 27 are ofsufficient length to have their upper portions depend beneath thetension rolls 32 which are adapted to exert such pressure on the chainsas will cause them to conform to the periphery of the feed drum andstrip the splints therefrom. These tension rolls, therefore, not onlymaintain an even tension on the transfer chains to take up wear and holdthe chains taut, but by depressing the chains to a correspondingcurvature with the adjacent periphery of the feed drum they greatlyfacilitate disengagement of the splints from the grooves of said drum.By this arrangement of the transfer chains 27 and their actuatingmechanism, in connection with the tension rolls 32, the spaces betweenthe match engaging teeth 40 are caused to register accurately with thegrooves 25 of the feed drum 18 at the point where the chains draw oiffrom the gears 28 and away from the periphery of the feed drum, and thusby means of these transfer chains the match sticks will be unfailinglydisengaged and carried from the feed drum at regular intervals, eventhough some of the sticks may tend to adhere to the drum.

Above the front portion of the feed drum 18, contiguous to the tensionrolls 32,is supported a pair of parallel downwardly curved guards 44that serve to confine the match splints in the grooves of the drum untilthey have been carried forward into position to be engaged by thetransfer chains or belts. The transfer chains or belts 27 carry thematch sticks or splints forward and deposit them on the transfer roll 30between two bunching webs or hands 45 and 46 by which the splints areconveyed to the bunching spool 31 on which they are formed into a bunchor bundle by the coiling or winding of said bands. One of the bunchingwebs or bands, preferably the thickerweb 45, is attached to a spool 47mounted on a spindle 48 supported by a suitable bracket or hangerbeneath the machine frame. This lower web or band 45 is passed upward inrear of and above a centrally grooved or depressed portion 49 of thetransfer roll 30 and thence to the bunching spool 31.together with theupper or thinner web 46 and interposed match splints. The centralcircumferential groove 49 in the roll 30 is of a depth and widthcorresponding to the thickness and width of the thicker bunching web orband 45 so that in traveling over said roll the web or band will besubstantially flush with the enlarged ends of the roll and thus afford amore firm support for the match splints. The upperor thinner bunchingweb 46 is attached to a spool 50 mounted on a spindle 51 supported by astandard 52 projecting above the machine frame. From the spool 50 theweb orband 46 is passed down beneath the rotary shaft 37, between thetension rolls 32, and thence onto the match sticks or splints as theyare carried forward by the transfer chains 27 in proximity to the upperportion of the periphery of the transfer roll 30 and the lower bunchingwebor band 45 moving thereon. By means of the forwardly moving webs orhands 45 and 46 the inter-. posed match sticks or splints are drawn offin regular order or succession and at proper intervals from the transferchains 27 at the point where the transfer roll 30 is in contact with thebunching spool 31 or with the bundle of webs and sticks that are alreadycoiled or bunched thereon.

The bunching spool 31 and the web or band supporting spools 47 and 50are removable from their respective spindles so that each can be readilyslipped 041 and replaced by another, when necessary, The periphery ofeach spool is provided with a suitable depressed fastening 53 by whichthe ends of the webs or bands 45 and 46 are detachably connectedthereto.

For the purpose of regulating the tension of the bunching webs or bandsa grooved pulley 54, Figs. 1 and 5, may be fastened on each of thespindles 48 and 51 of the web carrying spools 47 and 50, respectively.To each pulley 54 is applied a friction strap 55 having its ends securedto adjusting screws 56 supported by the standard or hanger in which thespool spindle is mounted and provided with nuts 57 through which thenecessary adjustment of the strap can be obtained in order to control orvary the tension of the bunchingwebs or bands as may be required. Thespindle 58 of the bunching spool 31 revolves in a sleeve or long tubularbearing 59 carried by the rear end of an automatically adjustable or vertically swinging frame 60 the forward end of which is sleeved orfulcrumed on a main driving shaft 61 provided with a driving pulley 62and a clutch mechanism 63 controlled by a shifter 64 through which themachine can be started or stopped at Will.

On the frame of the machine is a set of pins orfastenings 65 betweenwhich the shifter le ver or handle 66 may be held in the requiredposition according to whether the machine is to be operated or allowedto remain at rest.

A belt 67 connects a pulley 68 on thedriving shaft 61 with a pulley 69on the spindle 58 of the bunching spool 31 and thereby furnishes therequired power to rotate said spool in the operation of coiling thereonthe webs or bands 45 and 46 and interposed match sticks. The verticallyswinging frame 60 carries an adj nstable belt tightening pulley 70 forregulating the tension of the belt 67 according to the required speed ofthe bunching spool. The bunching spool 31 normally rests against thetransfer roll 30, being held in contact therewith by the weight of theframe 60, and as the diameter of the bunch of sticks increases the frame60 is gradually raised and tilted forward until its further movement isarrested, on completion of the bunch, by contact with a rest or stop 71,at the forward end of the machine frame.

If desired the spindle 58 of the bunching spool 31 may be provided witha hand wheel 72 by which said spool and attached webs can be adjusted toproper position on starting the machine.

On the shaft 26 of the fluted feed drum 18 is a large spur gear 73 bywhich said drum is rotated in the proper direction through intermediategears 74 and 75 connecting with'a pinion 76 on the main driving shaft.

The crank shaft 15, from which is operated the agitator mechanismlocated in the feed hopper, has splined thereon a longitudinally movableand automatically released clutch jaw 77, Figs. 2, 4 and 6, that isnormally engaged with a clutch jaw 78 secured toa pinion 79 which isloosely mounted on one end of the said shaft 15 in position to mesh withand be driven by a gear 80 On the shaft 26 of the fluted feed drum. Thegear 80 drives, also, a pinion 81 secured to one end'of ashort shaftjournaled in a standard or bearing 82, Fig. 2, and carrying at its otherend a gear 83 which drives the clearing rolls 19 through a pinion 84 onone end of the'roll shaft. The feed drum shaft 26 carries a spur gear85, Fig. 2, meshing with an intermediate gear 86 that connects with anddrives a gear 87 on one end of the shaft 35 to which the transfer roll30 and transfer chain-driving gears 29 are secured. The gears 28 arerotated by the transfer chains or belts 27; and the tension rolls 32and, their shaft 37 receive only such motion as may be imparted to themby the trans fer chains and from the upper bunching web or band.

At a suitable point beneath the frame of the machine and adjacent to thefeed drum 18 are hangers 88, Fig. 1, in which a rock shaft 89 issupported. The rock shaft 89 is provided with cranks 90, Fig. 6, towhich are pivotally attached the supporting arms 91 of a pair ofsegmental feed guards 92 that project into the hopper 2 at each end ofthe fluted feed drum 18 and normally rest on the beveled forward ends93, Fig. 1, of the bracket arms 4, in proximity to the ends of thefluted drum periphery.

To the upper end of an arm 94 projecting vertically from the rock shaft89 is pivotally connected the rear end of a forwardly projecting latchbar 95, Figs. 1 and 6, having in its under side a notch or recess 96,Fig. 1, by which the latch may be engaged with a catch 97 attached tothe machine frame. When the latch bar 95 is thus engaged with the catch97 the rock shaft 89 and attached feed guards 92 are drawn forward sothat the segmental rims or operative portions of said feed guards willuncover the ends of the grooves in the periphery of the feed drum andpermit the said grooves to take up match sticks from the hopper. Theforward end of the latch bar 95 is provided with a laterally projectingarm 98 having a series of sharpened pins 99 or serrated projections 100,Fig. 6, attached to its forward edge. As shown in Fig. 1, these pins orsharpened projections 99 are normally located beneath the transfer rolland at a sufflcient distance therefrom to be out of the path of thelower bunching web or band at the beginning of the' operation ofbunching and while the roll of webbing on the spool, 47, retains a largediameter. Just before the bunch or bundle of match sticks and webbing onthe bunching spool 31 is completed the diameter of the roll of Web orband 45 on the spool 47 will have diminished sufficiently to change thedirection taken by said band in passing up to the transfer roll 30 so asto carry the vertically moving portion of the band into frictionalengagement with the pins 99 and thereby trip the latch bar 95, orrelease it from the catch 97, and permit the rock shaft 89 to be turnedback under the tension of a spring 101, Figs. 2 and 6, having one endattached to the machine frame and the other end secured to a hand lever102 that is mounted on one end of the rock shaft. This backward movementof the released rock shaft 89 actuated by the spring 101, or by a weightif preferred, will cause the segmental rims of the feed guards 92 tomove outward and cover the ends of the grooves 25 in the periphery ofthe feed drum so as to prevent them from taking up any more match sticksfrom the hopper.

The automatically released clutch jaw 77, on the shaft 15 of theagitator mechanism, is connected to one end of a clutch lever 103, Figs.2 and 6, that is centrally fulcrumed to the machine frame and looselyengaged at its other end in a cam groove 104 formed in the top of an arm105 on one end of the rock-shaft 89 so that when the released rock-shaftis turned backward by the spring 101 the clutch lever 103 will be movedin such direction as to release the clutch jaw 77 from the clutch teethon the pinion 79 and thus stop the shaft 15 and the agitator mechanismconnected therewith. Thus when a bunch or bundle of match sticks isnearly completed on the bunching spool 31 the latch bar 95 will betripped by the moving lower web or band 45 and the agitation of thematch sticks in the hopper 2 and their engagement with the fluted feeddrum 18 will be automatically stopped. The rotation of the feed drum,the-bunching spool and the intermediate transfer mechanism will,however, continue as long as the driving pulley 62 is allowed to remainclutched with the driving shaft 61, and thus the match sticks that arealready outside the hopper on their way to the bunching spool will befed forward in regular order, as before, until the bunch or bundle iscompleted. When the several spools have been removed and replaced byothers and it is desired to resume the feed of match sticks from thehopper, the rockshaft will be turned forward by means of its hand lever102 and secured by the latch bar 95 thus retracting the feed guards 92and causing the lever 103 to clutch the pinion 79 onto the shaft 15 andagain start the agitating and feeding mechanism. The operation of themachine will then be'rcpeated in the manner already described.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a machine for bunching matchsticks, the combination with a hopper and a feed drum, of a verticallyreciprocating agitator frame located in the hopper, vibratory agitatorfingers connected to the upper end of said frame, and a crank shaftlocated below the hopper and having a pitman connection with the lowerend of the reciprocating frame, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination with a hopperand a feed drum, of a vertically reciprocating agitator frame located inthe hopper, transversely arranged rollers journaled in said frame,vibratory fingers connected to the upper end of the frame, a crank shaftlocated below the hopper, and a pitman connecting said shaft and frame,substantially as described.

3. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination with a hopperand a feed drum, of vertically grooved arms located in opposite sides ofthe hopper and having their lower ends curved toward the feed drum, areciprocating agitator frame guided in said vertically grooved arms andprovided with agitator fingers and rollers and acrank shaft locatedbelow the hopper and connected with said frame, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination with ahopper, agitating mechanism located in the hopper, anda crank shaft fromwhich said mechanism is actuated, of a pinion loosely mounted on thecrank shaft and provided with a clutch jaw, an automatically releasedclutch jaw splined on said shaft and normally engaged with the pinionclutch, a clutch lever fulcrumed to the machine frame, and a rock shafthaving an arm provided with a cam groove in which one end of the clutchlever is loosely engaged, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination with ahopper, a fluted feed drum, agitating mechanism located in the IOC ITC

hopper, a shaft from which the agitator mechanism is actuated, a pinionand clutch mechanism mounted on said shaft, and a clutch lever fulcrumedto the machine frame, of a rock shaft having an arm provided with a camgroove in which one end of said clutch lever is loosely engaged, feedguards connected with therock shaft and adapted to control theengagement of match sticks with the fluted periphery of the feed drum, alatch bar pivotally connected to therock-shaft and having one endprojecting in position to be tripped by one of the moving bunching websor bands as its diameter decreases upon its supporting spool, a catch tonormally engage the latch bar, and means for turning the rockshaftbackward, when released, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination with ahopper, a fluted feed drum, feed guards supported at the -ends of thefeed drum in position to control the engagement of match sticks with thefluted periphery ofsaid drum, and a rock shaft from which said feedguards are actuated, of a latch bar pivotally connected with said rockshaft and having one end provided with a series of pins or serrationsprojecting in position to be engaged by a portion of one of the movingbunching webs or bands as its direction of movement is changed by thedecreased diameter of the web roll, a catch to normally engage the latchbar and hold the rock shaft in a forwardly turned position untilreleased by the tripping of the latch bar through the action of saidmoving web or band, and means for turning the rock-shaft backward andautomatically stopping the feed of match sticks'when the rock-shaft isreleased, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination of a flutedfeed drum, a

' bunching spool, a transfer roll, positivelyactuated transfer chains orbelts mounted at the ends of said drum and roll, and tension rollsbearing on the upper portions of the transfer chains or beltsintermediate the feed drum and transfer roll to depress the transferchalns and cause them to conform to the periphery of the feed drum andfacilitate stripping the match splints therefrom, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination of a flutedfeed drum, a bunchin g spool, a transfer roll, transfer chains or beltsmounted at the ends of said drum and roll, gear wheels mounted directlyat the ends of and in. line with said drum and roll to supportandactuate the transfer chains, and tension rolls mounted above and bearingon the upper portions of the transfer chains substantially as described.

9. In a machine for bunching match sticks, the combination of a flutedfeed drum, a vertically swinging bunching spool, a transfer roll,downwardly curved guards supported above the ends of the front upperportion of the feed drum, transfer chainsor belts mounted at the ends ofthe feed drum and transfer roll, and tension rolls located above theupper portions of the transfer chains or belts intermediate the feeddrum and transfer roll to bear on and depress said chains, and causethem to conform to the periphery of the feed drum substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- DQSSGS.

DAVID F. EISENHART. WVitnesses:

ALBERT I-I. NORRIS, T. A. GREEN.

